[astcq-discuss] Re: The future of meetings
- From: "Barry Dale" <barrydale@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <astcq-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2004 17:07:44 +1000
Hey all
Yes the list is still active. Geoff passed the monitoring duties on to me,
though I've just got back from a 6 week stint in Canada and I'm not quite
sure what I'm supposed to do, if anything.
As for meetings, this is a good place to notify people of any kind of event
of interest - or organize one. I'm always interested in meeting peers. Since
I work at home I don't get out much.
I believe Geoff is still making web space available to us. That might be a
good place to list skills/knowledge available.
Cheers
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian O'Sullivan" <cinfo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <astcq-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2004 12:35 PM
Subject: [astcq-discuss] Re: The future of meetings
> Hi all,
>
> I haven't been active at all on this list in 2004. This is mainly due to
> other interests and commitments taking up my time. So here are my
thoughts:
>
> I'm not particularly interested in attending courses. However, I am
> interested in seeing how other writers go about their work. Most of us in
> Qld work in a professional vacuum, rarely getting the opportunity to learn
> from others. This is one of the reasons I tracked down this group last
year.
> It would be handy if we could list our skill sets somewhere so others
could
> ask questions if they find themselves attempting an area they have little
> prior experience in. For example, a lot of what I do finishes up in
printed
> manuals. As such I have LOTS of experience with printers, pre-press
> requirements, colour management, methods of printing depending on end use,
> costing print runs, page layout for maximum comprehension, etc. On the
other
> hand I do very little on-line documentation. I know the basics but have
> little experience in some of the different tools out there. One day I'll
get
> asked to do it!
>
> Another key goal in my opinion should be promoting the profession. As I
have
> mention in earlier posts every company I have written for had never used a
> technical writer before me. In every case the existing documentation was
> frightening! I work in the high voltage electrical engineering field and
> having an incorrect manual can mean someone dies and the company is
liable.
> I am constantly surprised at the amount of experienced engineers I have
met
> over the years who have never come across a technical writer before, and
> then ask me what exactly it is I do. This may be a peculiarity to Qld R&D
> organisations but I suspect the electrical/electronics industry is ripe
> pickens for writers if only these companies realised such a thing existed!
>
> The only problem with all this is organisation - someone has to commit the
> time and that is very difficult for most of us.
>
> Nice to see the list is still active!
>
> Regards,
>
> Brian O'Sullivan
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Christine Birtley-Kent" <birtley_kent@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <astcq-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2004 10:03 AM
> Subject: [astcq-discuss] The future of meetings
>
>
> > Hi all
> > I am not really in favour of courses for specific skills - let those who
> want to run them, organise them and use the lists to advertise them. But
I
> am in favour of sharing our knowledge of the industry - and developing a
> kind of professional awareness or career development approach.
> >
> > Back in the 'old days', in Victoria, we had an extremely healthy group
> that moved from one person's workplace to another, and each person shared
> what they were doing with the rest of the group. We often had as many as
> 30 or 40 attending meetings. We got to snoop on how other workplaces
> functioned, how other projects were run, and the kind of innovations that
> were going on. We perhaps even spotted where we wanted to work next.
> >
> > The Canberra group still seems to do this, and, for the short term I was
> there to watch, it seemed to be very well attended for a small city -
20ish
> people to a meeting and then a meal afterwards. I am sure if we asked
them,
> they would share their programs for the last few years so we could see the
> sorts of things they have done and get some ideas of where to start.
> >
> > But I do think that there is one ingredient necessary for this to work -
> there must be some technical writers out there whose workplaces are doing
> something interesting and innovative, or are doing something to a
fabulously
> high standard.
> >
> > My view of the world has narrowed in the last few years - perhaps I have
> become jaundiced - but I am not seeing much innovative or superb stuff
> happening. This may either be because it is not happening, or it may be
> because I am in the wrong places to see it happening.
> >
> > So if the group went down this path, it would certainly help me, and
> perhaps others, develop a realistic perspective as to the nature of
> technical writing as a profession, and perhaps help us find the 'hot
spots'
> where our talents can be best placed.
> >
> > Regards, Christine
> > Phone: 07 55288512
> > Mobile: 0407 604010
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